Equal Employment Opportunity Laws

Before beginning your learning on sexual harassment, UCI offers this short overview of state and federal laws prohibiting gender discrimination, including sexual harassment.

Civil Rights Act

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, prohibits public and private employers from discriminating in employment against individuals because of race, color, national origin, religion or sex. The law prohibits not only intentional discrimination, but also neutral job policies that disproportionately exclude minorities and that are not job related. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issues regulations and oversees compliance with Title VII.

Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments

Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments (known simply as Title IX) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment, in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Title IX prohibits both sexual harassment of students by an educational institution's employees and sexual harassment of students by other students. The Office for Civil Rights issues regulations and oversees compliance with Title IX.

Equal Pay Act

The Equal Pay Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the payment of wages or benefits, where men and women perform work of similar skill, effort, and responsibility for the same employer under similar working conditions. Employers may not reduce wages of either sex to equalize pay between men and women.

Fair Employment and Housing Act

California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits public and private employers in California from discriminating in employment against individuals because of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, pregnancy, age, sex, or sexual orientation. Sexual harassment includes gender harassment and harassment based on The Department of Fair Employment and Housing issues regulations and oversees compliance with FEHA.